Back to the buffalo (Shuffle off to Buffalo?) - I'd guess that 99% of all Americans call the animal in question a buffalo. I'd also guess that well over 50% of them don't know that it really isn't a buffalo.
Jenny, Tour guides, park rangers, etc. in the US know their way around, but generally really don't know anything but the obvious about what they are showing. Once at the
St. Louis Arch (It's really the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.), I asked the guide how wide the interior dimensions were at the base. (The Arch is an inverted steel catenary arch, 630' tall, 630' wide.). SHe just looked at me and said, "I just said it's 630 tall and 630' wide." I told her that the base dimension she gave was the outside measurement, and asked again, "How wide is it from the inside of one base to the inside of the other base?" She looked at me and said, "It's the same." She then turned away, rolling her eyes at the crowd, and muttered, "Sheesh." I doubt if she ever understood just how stupid she sounded.
By the way, the elevators to go up to the top of the arch are very, very small. I think they can hold
5 people, sitting very close to each other. They also sound rickety. The only reason I went up was because my son, who was 6 or 8, wanted to go. And, yes, you can feel the Arch sway in a heavy wind if you are at the top.
I have too many other problems this week to really care.
It's an obvious join to a discussion about buffalo.
